Angelenos this Friday will have the opportunity to give back through a truly unique experience – by partaking in Blazin’ Hope II at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. The sequel concert to a benefit event last fall, it was seeded from a vision from a few folks who wanted to ignite altruism in the South Asian community while giving back to the local and global community.

This year, we invite YOU to think. To Think, Give, and Listen as we raise money to alleviate the plight of underprivileged youth in our global and local backyards. 100% of proceeds from this event will benefit a domestic and an international organization: Peace4Kids (South LA) and Itipini (South Africa). [BeTheCause]

Not just a “concert”, Blazin Hope II is setting itself up to be a inspiring and giving experience. The performers include some of Los Angeles best South Asian artists, such as Jason Joseph, Raja Kumari, The Himalayan Project, and Nicco. And of course, the much blogged about Karmacy will be droppin’ their latest album, Wooden Bling, at this event.

Layering multilingual flows atop cross-cultural beats with lyrics and themes that invite people to think. The group’s ability to absorb individual life lessons and discover a new truth, a new Karmacy, has led it to trust its instincts to the Nth degree and created a sound that resonates more deeply and harmoniously than ever before. [Karmacy]

Also performing at the event will be youth from the organization Peace4Kids, the local beneficiary organization. There is even talk of a joint performance between the teens and members of Karmacy.

Dedicated to empowering underprivileged foster youth in South Central, Los Angeles (Watts, Willowbrook & Compton), Peace4Kids runs a plethora of creative arts, music, business and entertainment education programs that give children the opportunity to learn and to be heard. From drama & spoken word workshops to cooking classes and film courses, Peace4Kids ensures that foster children—whose lives are riddled with decisions that are made for them, not by them—have a voice and a choice in chartering their life paths. [Peace4Kids]

So, hip hop show, album release, spoken word performances, dramatic pieces and even a short film about the South African organization Itipini, the other beneficiary group for the event. And did I mention the cool people that brought it all together? The host organization Be The Cause (a South Asian founded org!), has really been the driving force behind Blazin Hope II.

The “Be the Cause” name stems from the personal nature of our organization’s philosophy—that each individual can participate in the cause and effect relationships of the universe and can influence any set of circumstances in their environment. Founded in 2002, the organization now boasts an enormous community of individuals that create enriching opportunities of service. [BeTheCause]

If you can’t make the event but want to hear more about it, you can check out Karmacy member, Nimo, and Blazin’ Hope II organizer, Seema, on KUCI FM 88.9 from 8 – 9 a.m. this Thursday. Not in So Cal? You can subscribe to the “Justice or Just Us” podcast at KUCI right here!

Full disclosure: I’m volunteering for this event too and have found the process of being involved as a volunteer to be truly inspiring. With over 60 mostly desi volunteers, the lead organizers and organizations have gone out of their way to make the entire experience truly rewarding. South Asians in Los Angeles are truly rallying around a cause, and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out at the Knitting Factory on Friday!

If you are in Los Angeles, please join us. Buy your tickets today – the last event sold-out! You can buy your ticket online today – Presale $20, $25 w/CD and $25 at the door. It is guaranteed to be a worthwhile experience.